Establishing the Special Committee on
Sexual Assault and Abuse in the Armed Forces to conduct oversight, ensure
accountability, and report on the activities of the Department of Defense to
prevent, reduce, prosecute, and provide victims’ services for cases of sexual
assault and abuse in the Armed Forces.

1.

Establishment

There is hereby established the Special
Committee on Sexual Assault and Abuse in the Armed Forces (hereinafter referred
to as the Special Committee) to conduct oversight, ensure
accountability, and report on the activities of the Department of Defense to
prevent, reduce, prosecute, and provide victims’ services for cases of sexual
assault and abuse in the Armed Forces.

2.

Composition

(a)

Membership

The
Special Committee shall be composed of 19 members as follows:

(1)

Six members
appointed by the Speaker.

(2)

Five members
appointed by the Minority Leader.

(3)

The chair and
ranking minority member of the Committee on Armed Services (or a designee from
among the members of that committee).

(4)

The chair and
ranking minority member of the Committee on Appropriations (or a designee from
among the members of that committee).

(5)

The chair and
ranking minority member of the Committee on the Judiciary (or a designee from
among the members of that committee).

(6)

The chair and
ranking minority member of the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform (or
a designee from among the members of that committee).

If the
chair or ranking minority member of any such committee declines to serve on the
Special Committee, then the Speaker (in the case of a chair), or the Speaker
after consultation with the minority leader (in the case of a ranking minority
member), shall designate the member or members from that committee to serve on
the Special Committee.(b)

Designation of
Chair and Ranking Minority Member

The Speaker shall designate one
member of the Special Committee to serve as its chair and the minority leader
shall designate one member of the Special Committee to serve as its ranking
minority member.

3.

Jurisdiction;
report

(a)

Investigations

The Special Committee shall have
jurisdiction and oversight responsibility to conduct investigations into issues
related to sexual assault and abuse in the Department of Defense, including the
following:

(1)

Prevention.

(2)

Reported and
unreported incidents of sexual assault and abuse perpetrated by members of the
Armed Forces and employees of the Department of Defense.

(3)

Prosecution.

(4)

Victim services
and care.

(5)

All other related
issues.

(b)

Report

Not later than 120 days after its initial
meeting, the Special Committee shall submit to the House a report on its
investigations under this section.

4.

Powers and
Procedures

Rule XI of the
Rules of the House of Representatives shall apply with respect to the Special
Committee.

5.

Staff;
funding

(a)

Staff

(1)

To the extent
practicable, the Special Committee shall utilize the services of staff of
employing entities of the House. At the request of the chair in consultation
with the ranking minority member, staff of employing entities of the House may
be detailed to the Special Committee to carry out this resolution, and shall be
deemed to be staff of the Special Committee.

(2)

The chair, upon consultation with the
ranking minority member, may employ and fix the compensation of such staff as
the chair considers necessary to carry out this resolution.

(b)

Funding

There
are authorized to be appropriated from the applicable accounts of the House
such sums as may be necessary to carry out this resolution. Payments for the
expenses of the Special Committee shall be made on vouchers signed by the chair
and approved in the manner directed by the Committee on House Administration.
Amounts made available under this subsection shall be expended in accordance
with regulations prescribed by the Committee on House Administration.

6.

Termination;
Disposition of records

(a)

Termination

The Special Committee shall terminate on
the last day of the One Hundred Thirteenth Congress.

(b)

Records

Upon
termination of the Special Committee, the records of the Committee shall become
the records of any committee designated by the Speaker.